There's no one answer when it comes to boat ownership.
Benefits Buying a New Boat
Who doesn’t like a shiny, new toy?
- No need to wonder how the boat’s been used or misused, or if it’s been winterized and commissioned. There is no history to uncover, because you’ll write this boat’s biography.
- You can buy exactly what you want and not just what’s on the preowned market. You’ll be getting the latest, greatest technology and innovations.
- If something does go awry, you’ll have a manufacturer’s warranty to back you up. That warranty is served by the selling dealer, which is a good reason to buy nearby.
- You can rig it the way you want with the latest gear selected precisely for your purpose. Unless you buy a boat-and-motor combo with the lowest-offered powerplant, it’s probably a satisfying match.
- You don’t have to get an answer to the most troubling question: Why is this used boat for sale?
Benefits Buying a Pre-Owned Boat
- When buying a used boat, chances are you get more boat for fewer dollars, lower cost per year of ownership, and less on the line if you decide a different style or size boat would better serve you.
- It sounds funny, but there’s peace of mind in knowing you’re not going to put the first scratch or ding in the boat.
- Any initial bugs in boat or motor have likely surfaced and been dealt with. For reassurance, and before signing, get a marine survey. Marine surveyors see what you can’t and look where you won’t. First, get a survey. Then smile and buy, whittle down the price, draft your own to-do list, or walk away.
- You get time-tested technologies. If a manufacturer brought out a bad boat or balky motor, the Internet and other sources will wave you off.
- You can choose a style of sale—from the trade-in or used stock of a dealer, who has to cover overhead but has a reputation to guard and a service bay; from a broker, who has reduced overhead costs; or from a private seller, who may be most motivated.
Again, there is no right answer. Just remember depending on where and when you buy it, the cost of moving a boat is one you may need to consider. Delivery will often be included in the boat’s price tag when you buy new from a dealer’s lot. But if you order a new boat to your specifications or purchase one that’s at a distant location, be sure to include the cost of moving it in your calculations.